Means testing of contributory ESA

sangke
sangke Online Community Member Posts: 4 Listener
in Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
Just received a letter from DWP saying i will get a call on Tuesday regarding my ESA and to have all details of savings, pensions etc. I am also in receipt of Pip. As far as i was aware contributory ESA and PIP were not mean tested. I do not have any pensions although partner does.

Comments

  • Ross_Alumni
    Ross_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 7,611 Championing
    Hello @sangke

    Welcome to the community :) 

    Sorry to hear that the situation with your ESA is causing a bit of confusion.

    Contributory ESA is linked to your National Insurance contributions and is not means-tested. Your (or your partner’s) income and savings will generally not affect how much contribution-based ESA you’re paid. Income from occupational or personal pensions, health insurance and Financial Assistance Schemes may reduce what you will get though. Read more about this on the Scope website.
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,458 Championing
    Hi,

    A pension of up to £85 per week will not affect the amount of CB ESA you're entitled to. For every £1 over this amount there's a 50p per week deduction in your ESA. DWP still need to know about any pensions you receive even if they're under £85 per week. Any pension your partner receives will not affect the ESA providing you're the claimant of the ESA and it's all contributions based.

    Having said that, are you sure all of your ESA is contributions based? If you're claiming the old contributions based then an income Related top up is possible on this, depending on your circumstances. The Income Related top up is means tested.
  • sangke
    sangke Online Community Member Posts: 4 Listener
    Thanks for your answers. I am in the support group and contributory Esa. I have no income related top up and anyway my husbands pension would negate this. I have been on ESA  for some years since the change over  from invalidity benefit and the change to new style ESA. I do not understand why they need to see my bank statements after all this while. I assume they have the right to ask this ?
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,458 Championing
    They would have the right to ask if your ESA was means tested but i can't see the reason why in your case.
  • sangke
    sangke Online Community Member Posts: 4 Listener
    Thanks for your comments. I will update the forum after Tuesdays call from Dwp.
  • sangke
    sangke Online Community Member Posts: 4 Listener
    Hi i have had the call from DWP. The letter I received was a generic copy requesting savings / income etc, and the caller said straight away that i did not have to supply any info because i was on CB ESA. 
    Many thanks to the forum for your advice.

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